What does 'college accreditation' mean?

I came across the term 'college accreditation' while exploring some colleges. Why is it significant and what differentiates an accredited college from others?

College accreditation is a quality assurance process under which a college or university's services and operations are examined by a third-party accrediting agency to ascertain if the institution meets certain standards of quality and educational integrity required for academic institutions. Essentially, being accredited means that a college or university is competent, credible, and capable of providing a high-quality education to its students.

The process of accreditation involves a thorough review of various factors that contribute to a high-quality education. These factors can include the quality of the institution's faculty, the strength of its academic programs, the adequacy of its support services, and its general adherence to specific ethical practices and policies.

An accredited college has passed this rigorous evaluation and meets or exceeds the established education standards. In contrast, schools that are not accredited have either not undergone this evaluation process, or have undergone the process and failed to meet the necessary standards.

Importantly, going to an accredited college can significantly affect your education and future career: financial aid, post-graduate education, and certain jobs require a degree from an accredited institution. For example, if you're applying for a master's program, many graduate schools will only consider your application if your bachelor's was earned at an accredited institution.

So, when exploring colleges, checking their accreditation status should be part of your research. Different countries have different accrediting bodies so it depends on where you plan to study. In the United States, the Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation maintain databases of accredited institutions, which you can access online.